OK, OK, that's actually Linus Torvalds expressing his feelings about NVIDIA, but there's no better way to articulate the continued frustration with the complete lack of Sprint Galaxy Nexus support in AOSP. Verizon is [almost] there. Sprint, however, is not. Try finding it (hint: its codename is toroplus) - specifically, the CDMA/LTE binaries.

If you still have doubts about the above notion so eloquently conveyed by Linus' gesture, Jean-Baptiste Queru's comment confirms:

As far as toroplus, the situation is unchanged: there are no plans to support it as a target device for custom AOSP builds. JBQ

Sprint and Samsung, it's time to pony up those drivers. As far as we can tell, that's the only major difference between your toroplus compared to toro on Verizon. This is a Nexus, not a third-rate device. People want AOSP support, and you should seriously consider giving it to them. They are known to vote with their money after all.

Comments

I think the saddest thing is that carriers actually having the majority of people believing that its the only way.

Abhijeet Mishra

It's the same as how Apple makes people believe that what Apple thinks is for the customers is actually right. And you can't really blame the non-technical people for believing it, sadly. Google should enforce that a Nexus device stays a Nexus in ever sense. :-(

cody kain

im kind of shocked from this sprint has played nicely with android and google over the years at least more so then ATT and VZW

ERIFNOMI

I'll admit I was surprised to see the toro binaries. Glad they're there though.

Duncan McAfee

I was surprised by support for the VZW version. This coming from Sprint is *very* surprising. I hate the carriers here in the US....

Drew Romanyk

My guess to why the sprint gnex isn't supported yet is because their lte isn't out yet, unlike wimax which might be why they brought back the nexus s 4g back into aosp. Just a theory though, only reasonable one to me considering how close sprint and Google have been in the past.

shabbypenguin

Shouldnt matter, we are the only "nexus" device with out factory images, without binaries. in fact toroplus isnt even in aosp..

WestIndiesKING

change carriers

shabbypenguin

yea because giving up my 95 dollar a month plan for me and my wife with unl everything to go to limited carriers is a solid option :P

I have to wonder, why isn't this bundled into the contracts? Google has a say in who sells the GN, they are signing the deals too.

So, If the phone can't get proper AOSP support, it's not really a Nexus device. And, if it's not really a Nexus device, then the only draw is fast updates from Google. But, fast updates aren't coming either, the carriers are keeping those held up (well, VZW has, we've yet to really see how Sprint acts). If the phone isn't getting real AOSP support and it's not getting updates in a timely manner, it's only real remaining benefit is being vanilla Android and not restricted. Oops, again, no Wallet on VZW...

Why is the GN even being called a Nexus device on Sprint or VZW? There are plenty of other phones, why are they selling this one instead of those? So much news was made about Verizon passing on the SGS II so they could carry the GN, but it's just for show? Sprint waits 6 months to carry the GN, not even to be any better than VZW?

Before, I thought Google had just made a mistake when they signed on with VZW and they had already dug the hole too deep to back out when things started getting messy. Now, I see Google isn't nearly as willing to stand up to the carriers.

Abhijeet Mishra

Google isn't willing to do anything but make money. They don't care about fragmentation either, or they wouldn't have released a new Android update (Jelly Bean) when the previous one was only on 7-10% of devices. Of course, Google needs to constantly improve Android so they had to release Jelly Bean, but still, it goes to show Google isn't really ready to solve anything. That's where Apple and MS win with their closed source 'use it as it is or go away' approach (not that I want to go towards those closed source OSs, but still).
You are right. Having such problems with a Nexus device = biggest fail for Android, which has enough problems with non-Nexus devices and their software already.

The concept that you wouldnt roll out updates until the previous update is installed across the base is, frankly, moronic.

Abhijeet Mishra

Yes, it is very moronic, but what I want to point out is that Google doesn't care. The fragmentation is a big problem, but Google seems not interested in taking any steps to cure it (except for the PDK which will be available with the 'next' Android release and 18 months update warranty that no manufacturers wants to follow). But then, since it's open source, not really sure what Google can say to manufacturers.

aiden9

If they didn't care they wouldn't have decided to come out with the PDK, which they'll give to manufacturers/chip makers months in advance of releasing a new version of Android.

There's only so much they can do.

Abhijeet Mishra

Yes, true. There's only so much they can do and hope manufacturers step up their game with faster updates. Sony is doing quite well right now I'd say, with 13 devices already updated to ICS. Other manufacturers however have a long way to go.

Wow, you've found the cynical side of things. Considering how little profit Google makes off of Galaxy Nexus sales, I seriously doubt they care in the least about making money on hardware (notice, they are taking a loss on the Nexus 7, for example). Google's business model for Android has always been centered on pushing services and advertising. They are also aiming to prevent companies like Microsoft or Apple from controlling the market, as Apple is actively trying to do.

Regarding fragmentation, your argument is flawed. This has been discussed into absurdity, so I won't spend much time on it. It's simple, if they waited for everybody to get updates before releasing their next version, it would be 18-24 months between updates, and you'd still have to wait several months for your handset to get updated (if it ever did). The exact same thing happened when they went from Donut to Eclair, very few handsets saw updates until Froyo was out, and then almost everybody started catching up in Gingerbread. Microsoft released Windows 7 when Vista still hadn't completely overtaken XP, and Windows 8 is even coming slightly ahead of Microsoft's normal release cycle. Mobile technology is advancing quickly, don't complain when a company decides to keep the momentum high.

Abhijeet Mishra

I agree with you to be honest, but that is exactly what I wanted to point out in response to your statement: "Before, I thought Google had just made a mistake when they signed on with VZW and they had already dug the hole too deep to back out when things started getting messy. Now, I see Google isn't nearly as willing to stand up to the carriers."
I agree I go over the top regarding the fragmentation issue, but it has become too bad that I find fault with every one of them now, the manufacturers as well as Google. I will always support Android though, as well as Google as they're the only ones willing to support open-source.

shabbypenguin

If memory serves me right at the launch of the sprint galaxy nexus JQB had made a g+ post explaining that he couldnt add the device to aosp due to lack of code provided by samsung. now i dont know whether to blame samsung or sprint for this blunder... but glad to see my question caught some attention :P

kc

ya, stick it to the customer!!! I will tell you what. Sprint and Android can go F themselves. If you didn't plan to support it then why did you have Sprint carry it?

Bob Soneguy

Is it opposite day? Verizon gives in but Sprint relents. Next ATT will fix their coverage and get better customer service.

H3xTo

My thought exactly but you said it best

Asphyx

Here is the easy solution to thier problem. Stop letting Sprint sell Android phones and see how that works out for them! The loss in sales would hurt Sprint more than Android.
Or tell them without AOSP they must not call it a Nexus and have them lose the marketing made to promote a nexus device.
Either way it's time to tell the carriers that they are not the ones to decide what the phone can and can't do anymore. They don't like it let them all sell iPhones where they make a lot less money on each unit sold due to the high cost per unit.
I bet if Google had the guts they could take Sprint to court and force them to release the code they need as your required to post source for anything that is made to work with and uses parts of a GPL project. I bet thier code can't function at all without GPL code from AOSP.

I may be mistaken, but I'm pretty sure the libraries in question are linked by the Android OS, not the kernel. The kernel is GPL, Android itself is Apache licensed. Steve Kondik sums it up perfectly (takes about 60 seconds, but the rest is really good to watch too) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puSdhvC0ExY&t=1m35s

Robert Jakiel

GSM phones FTW! This is one of the many reasons I will never go back to a CDMA carrier ever again.

This is one of the main factors driving me away from Sprint. I've been a customer for about 11 years now and have 3 family phones on it, but I may pull my line and go with a Google Play store phone when the new Nexus phones come out later this year. I know they're "working on ICS" for my GS II but I'm still stuck on 2.3.6 and I'm beyond tired of waiting for it.

Seth Daniel

I will be terminating my contract in 3 months when its up and will be writing a few letters explaining why. Going gsm for good.

Sprint is in a precarious position - they can go the way of RIM and keep believing their strategy is correct and their former dominance will return as they shed customers and employees or they can change their obstructionist hoarder mentality and embrace Android by staying ahead of the fragmentation curve by partnering closer with Google.

I know one thing..this is my second Nexus device...I had the nexus 4gs ...and now the Galaxy Nexus...from Sprint...if Google and Samsung...and sprint can't get together and figure this out...this will be my last google device..I have been an Android user since the start. I switched to the Nexus because these were suppose to be the 1st to get the new operating systems. And any builds that came out..these devices would be the first to get them. I put up with the bad 3g and Wifi for months in the.4gs ..now the Galaxy is suppose to get Jelly bean..well see...if things don't change..I will be switching to an iPhone my next upgrade.

The only true Nexus is the GSM one - every other one is slowed down not by Google but by carriers, if we're strictly speaking about OTAs.

Roe

And I bought the sprint nexus thinking I would only buy nexus from now on so I can have a phone supported by Google. What garbage for the first time in 3 years I have a bad taste in my mouth for Google.

Skyler Spencer

I called Sprint and inquired about this and they said OTA is at the end of July... I think they are lying through their teeth.